All journals, 24/7 news channels and websites scream on Mumbai massacre with stories meticulously detailing about the terror, fishing out clues and its impact on commoners. They exclusively did their best to provide information to awaken the sleeping masses.
Mumbai under siege; The war continues; Mumbai in terror; The recent audacious attack has broken ‘the spirit of Mumbai’ (now a cliché); India is leaderless, the country leaders don’t have the guts and the vision to handle, to stop or tackle such catastrophe; there were logistic support; Dawood Ibrahim boats were used; politicians are baking their food on this tragedy et al, write leading dailies, but they utterly fail to chalk out realistic remedies to avoid such kind of brazen tragedy, new strategies to handle the situation. They are doing their best and are on their smooth track yet are struck in the ‘Breaking News’ soap opera and TRP and readership fight.
They forget that it was through journals Mahatma Gandhi and many leaders awaken the masses and made India free from British rule. They forget that it’s their responsibility and they are accountable for it. They forget that they are one of the pillars of the democratic system of government. They failed to realise that it’s a war and India is in war zone. They coin new words and phrases, they rush on the spot, they find some exclusive shots and stories, but they forget what they are basically made for?
“I was on the spot. I managed to get a shot of NSG commandos’ para gliding on the roof of the Nariman House. If I hadn’t got I would have been sacked,” said one of my friend, who works in a leading news channel.
“Things are not fine here. Blood is spilled over everywhere and commandos are stilling looking for terrorist at Taj hotel. I have to report to my boss and discuss a story. I will call you later,” said another friend, who works for a leading English journal.
One of the know figure of electronic media was seen pushing his mike in front of traumatised hostages. The army chief had to request media persons to stop telecasting the scenes as the terrorists were viewing television.
Being a journo I feel the pain and the pressure my peers used to go through as news channels and journals can't be blank. They have to show or write about the incidents. They do their best to provide information to the masses. I salute them as I salute to Indian Police force and Indian Army, but things remain to point zero.
After the operation was over, everyone was busy doing post-mortem and investigation of the assault. But none thought to use their so-called journo aptitude to provide logistic and realistic solution of the problem to the failed-government of India.
They have to or else ten years down the line, media will be a brothel house and journo a pimp. Apart from keeping the eyes, the ears and mouth open, they have to intensely speak their mind.
Bandhu,
ReplyDeleteYour concerns are as genuine as this problem. You see today reporting has become a pure profession but unfortunately our syllabus still teaches us of the olden days and focused on ethical part of journalism. I meant to say that there is a huge disparity between what we read and what we have to do. Other thing is that we lack vision and it is because we hardly see any good example of reporting to follow. In my view print media is doing well compare to electronic since print has a long history of good reporting but the later have to learn it by doing mistakes only.
You can’t follow western way of journalism in Indian context. We have an absolutely different mindset.